In This Newsletter:
Featured New Arrival:
Get Schisty with Clos Erasmus
Down the Rhine and Through the Doneau:
Vinopolis tours Germany
JB Becker:
The Rheingau’s Baron of Bone-Dry Riesling
New Week – New Arrivals
Staff Pick:
Triton Tinta De Toro
Wine on the Horizon: Coming Soon to Vinopolis
The ABC’s of 2016 Produttori Crus:
Astounding, Beautiful, Collectible
Shades of Summer:
Oregon Grown Goodness
Never Enough Napa:
Cabernet for Every Occasion
The Height of Tuscan Fashion
We are back open for in-store shopping
Featured New Arrival:
Get Schisty with Clos Erasmus
Priorat or Tarraconensis as it was once called has cultivated winegrapes since the Roman Empire first occupied the area, but it was Clos Erasmus and their collegues who transformed Priorat from sleepy backwater to a global wine powerhouse in the 1980’s and 90’s. Farming biodynamically since their inception Clos Erasmus has maintained very low production throughout the stratospheric rise of the region, and rarely exceeds 140 cases per year from their 25 acres in production. Yields are highly reduced due to the high elevation, low annual rainfall, rocky soil and dry climate during the growing season. Limited does not begin to describe the scarcity of these wines, with these bottles being the crown jewel of wine lists around the world.
Clos i Terrasses Clos Erasmus Priorat DOCa 2018 750ML ($249.95) $219 special, 21 bottles in stock now
Clos i Terrasses Clos Erasmus Priorat DOCa 2018 1.5L ($699.95) $579 special, only 1 bottle in stock now
Luis Gutierrez Wine Advocate 99 points “A blend of 85% Garnacha and 15% Syrah, 2018 Clos Erasmus comes from a year with good yields and enough rain for good ripeness of the grapes. The vines are now 36 years old on average, and the grapes fermented after a cold soak in 1,000-, 1,500- and 2,000-liter oak vats with indigenous yeasts and a five-week maceration. It matured in new and second use Burgundian 228-liter oak barrels, with around 40% new oak. This is a very elegant and perfumed vintage for Clos Erasmus, a wine that reveals a bright ruby color and a exotic nose that mixes flowers with tons of sweet spices. It is still very young and influenced by the élevage in oak, with something herbal and fresh, reminiscent of pine needles. The palate is textured and velvety, lace and dust, with fine-grained tannins that bring back the memories of the slate rocks; it is pure and detailed and has terrible balance, focus, inner strength, filigree and subdued minerality. I’d wait a little bit for the oak to get integrated before pulling the cork. It has the ingredients, stuffing and balance to develop nicely in bottle for a long time. 3,319 bottles and 100 magnums produced. It was bottled in May 2020.”
Clos i Terrasses Clos Erasmus ‘Laurel’ Priorat DOCa 2018 750ML ($79.95) $59 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Clos i Terrasses Clos Erasmus ‘Laurel’ Priorat DOCa 2018 1.5L ($179.95) $149 special
Wine Advocate 96 points “The second wine here and one that is easier to drink, the 2018 Laurel was produced with fruit from the younger vines, a couple of barrels that are declassified from Clos Erasmus and the Cabernet Sauvignon, more or less 70% Garnacha and 15% each Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. It has good ripeness and still a pH of 3.3. It fermented mostly in oak vats and 2,000-liter concrete vats with indigenous yeasts and matured for 18 months in 20,000-liter oak and concrete vats, second use barriques and some clay amphorae. It’s a bright translucent ruby color and has a perfumed and delicate nose with notes of orange peel and flowers; this is the most elegant and ethereal vintage of Laurel as far as I can remember, with red rather than black fruit and a kind of cranberry quality. The palate is medium-bodied, textured and fluid, with subtleness, balance and very fine tannins. The oak is perfectly integrated, and the wine is easy to drink, approachable and very pleasurable right now. It’s a fresh vintage with energy and finesse, quite different from previous vintages. I love it. 22,825 bottles and 515 magnums produced. It was bottled in May 2020.”
Clos i Terrasses Clos Erasmus Priorat DOCa 2018 750ML ($249.95) $219 special, 21 bottles in stock now
Clos i Terrasses Clos Erasmus Priorat DOCa 2018 1.5L ($699.95) $579 special, only 1 bottle in stock now
Luis Gutierrez Wine Advocate 99 points “A blend of 85% Garnacha and 15% Syrah, 2018 Clos Erasmus comes from a year with good yields and enough rain for good ripeness of the grapes. The vines are now 36 years old on average, and the grapes fermented after a cold soak in 1,000-, 1,500- and 2,000-liter oak vats with indigenous yeasts and a five-week maceration. It matured in new and second use Burgundian 228-liter oak barrels, with around 40% new oak. This is a very elegant and perfumed vintage for Clos Erasmus, a wine that reveals a bright ruby color and a exotic nose that mixes flowers with tons of sweet spices. It is still very young and influenced by the élevage in oak, with something herbal and fresh, reminiscent of pine needles. The palate is textured and velvety, lace and dust, with fine-grained tannins that bring back the memories of the slate rocks; it is pure and detailed and has terrible balance, focus, inner strength, filigree and subdued minerality. I’d wait a little bit for the oak to get integrated before pulling the cork. It has the ingredients, stuffing and balance to develop nicely in bottle for a long time. 3,319 bottles and 100 magnums produced. It was bottled in May 2020.”
Clos i Terrasses Clos Erasmus ‘Laurel’ Priorat DOCa 2018 750ML ($79.95) $59 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Clos i Terrasses Clos Erasmus ‘Laurel’ Priorat DOCa 2018 1.5L ($179.95) $149 special
Wine Advocate 96 points “The second wine here and one that is easier to drink, the 2018 Laurel was produced with fruit from the younger vines, a couple of barrels that are declassified from Clos Erasmus and the Cabernet Sauvignon, more or less 70% Garnacha and 15% each Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. It has good ripeness and still a pH of 3.3. It fermented mostly in oak vats and 2,000-liter concrete vats with indigenous yeasts and matured for 18 months in 20,000-liter oak and concrete vats, second use barriques and some clay amphorae. It’s a bright translucent ruby color and has a perfumed and delicate nose with notes of orange peel and flowers; this is the most elegant and ethereal vintage of Laurel as far as I can remember, with red rather than black fruit and a kind of cranberry quality. The palate is medium-bodied, textured and fluid, with subtleness, balance and very fine tannins. The oak is perfectly integrated, and the wine is easy to drink, approachable and very pleasurable right now. It’s a fresh vintage with energy and finesse, quite different from previous vintages. I love it. 22,825 bottles and 515 magnums produced. It was bottled in May 2020.”
Down the Rhine and Through the Doneau:
Vinopolis Tours Germany
Vinopolis Tours Germany
Easily the most famous of the Mosel’s sub- regions is Bernkastel or Middle Mos. Called the “heart” of the Mosel Valley; it is the most planted in terms of acreage and also production. Some of Germany’s most famous vineyards are nested in this area including Ürziger Würzgarten, Bernkasteler Doctor, and Wehlener Sonnenuhr. These vineyards often feature exceptionally old vines, with the oldest being over 125 years old. The confluence of slope and refraction from the surface of the river create a richer and fuller bodied style of Riesling that defines the area and also acts as a measuring rod for the rest of the country.
These vineyards feature vast percentages of the trademark blue and gray slate associated with the Mosel as a whole, which further aids in ripening, and contributes a clean slate-esque character to the wine. The more favorable growing conditions allow for the entire spectrum of Riesling to be produced ranging from dry to lusciously sweet (Sometimes from the same vineyard). Bernkastel also holds the crown for highest price ever fetched at auction for a German wine. The bottle in question? A bottle of 1921 Berncastler Doctor Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese that had been secretly hidden in their underground cellar for decades. It was sold in 1986 for over $16,000. We carry a number of different producers from this village in house, including Thanisch, Richter, Molitor and Prum!
In stock now:
Wwe Dr. H. Thanisch Bernkasteler Doctor Riesling Kabinett Mosel 2016 ($49.95) $36 special, 20 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2016 Berncasteler Doctor Riesling Kabinett has a lovely clear and aromatic stone fruit bouquet with coolish, flinty slate aromas. Lush, round and highly attractive on the palate, this is a very elegant and charming Doctor with a seriously mineral, stimulatingly salty finish. Tasted March 2018.”
David Schildknecht – Vinous 92 points “Musky, sweaty notes mingle with scents of ripe pear, white peach, decadent freesia and lily. The palate impression is lusciously fruity, subtly sweet, faintly creamy and extremely delicate – perfectly suited to the prominence of inner-mouth perfume. The finish features striking lift along with inhalative flavor retention. (Breathing in and out after spitting – or swallowing – it’s almost as if the wine hadn’t left your mouth.)”
Mosel Fine Wines 91+ points “The 2016er Doctor Kabinett offers a gorgeous nose of grapefruit, pear, white peach and aniseed herbs. The wine offers a nice balance on the palate, with great elegance and finesse as minerals, herbs and pear lead the aromatic profile right into the playful finish. This is still slightly broad (as Doctor wines often are in their youth) but the wine hints already at great potential. It could easily exceed our initial high expectations as it gains in focus at maturity. 2031-2046”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Weingut Max Ferd. Richter Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Riesling Grosses Gewächs 2018 ($59.95) $45 special, 22 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 94 points “I love the discreet mirabelle, spice and angelica notes of this finely chiseled dry Mosel riesling that has plenty of depth and structure, but doesn’t yet announce it loudly. Needs some time to open up, but the classic elegance is already very clear. Drinkable now, but better from 2022.”
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 91+ points “The 2018 Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling GG trocken is subtle and elegant on the refined, flinty and herbal nose that displays beautifully pure and fine, dark and iron-rich slate aromas typical for this magical terroir. Intense and rich yet pure and bone dry on the palate, this is a precise yet long and salty JSU with a stimulating, very elegant finish. It is stunningly pure and fresh for this vintage but also quite austere. From vines planted in the 1980s, which means they are about 100 years younger than those from the original part of the Wehlener Sonnenuhr. Tasted at the domain in September 2020.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Markus Molitor Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Kabinett GK Mosel 2018 ($34.95) $29 special, 28 bottles in stock now
Decanter 95 points “Candied tangerine peel rejoices with tangy freshness, exuberant aromatics of ripe and heady citrus. There is lovely lightness, inherent playfulness, like little putti twirling and dancing in a fruit bowl. The dry Kabinett did not reach that balance so the counter-intuition of nature decrees that a richer year can take more sweetness – not less.”
Mosel Fine Wines 93 points “The 2018er Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Kabinett (Golden Capsule) offers a beautiful nose of strawberry puree, fine spices, and herbs on the nose. The wine offers a nice and beautifully playful side on the zesty and mineral palate. It leaves a gorgeously vivid and structured feel in the long and engaging finish. A creamy side comes through in the finish, which adds to the overall immense pleasure to enjoy this beautiful full fruity-styled wine. 2028-2048”
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel Mosel 2016 750ML ($129.95) $109 special, 19 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2016 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese (Gold Capsule) is clear, fine and subtle yet concentrated, with vegetal and ripe fruit aromas. Rich, round and piquant, this is an intense and densely woven Auslese (AP 14 17) with a long, tensioned and refreshing mineral finish that lifts the sweet fruit. Gorgeous but made for another decade.”
Stuart Pigott – Jamessuckling 96 points “Super elegant and filigree with a delicacy that you don’t find in many other high-end white wines regardless of grape variety and region of origin. A very long and clean finish. Drink or hold.”
Wine Spectator 95 points “Lush and thick in texture, combining power and grace, with a firm backbone of acidity and mineral details. Stunning on the palate, featuring different nuances that keep emerging with each sip. Slate, apricot jam, flan, honeysuckle and kumquat fruit notes are the most prominent, leading to a long, mineral-laced finish. Drink now through 2040.”
Mosel Fine Wines 94 points “This delivers an absolutely gorgeous and multi-layered nose including pineapple, candied apricot, honeyed exotic fruits, almond paste, tangerine flower and a touch of minty smoke. The wine is superbly smooth and exotic on the palate. The complex and refined delicacy of fruits is simply stunning. The finish is all about honey and creamy exotic fruits, and while not extremely expressive at this time, grows by the minute in the glass. One is left with a great and very subtle sense of almond, passion fruit and tangerine blossom in the after-taste. This will need time to integrate all its components but should then prove a cracker of a wine!”
Decanter 95 points “Candied tangerine peel rejoices with tangy freshness, exuberant aromatics of ripe and heady citrus. There is lovely lightness, inherent playfulness, like little putti twirling and dancing in a fruit bowl. The dry Kabinett did not reach that balance so the counter-intuition of nature decrees that a richer year can take more sweetness – not less.”
Mosel Fine Wines 93 points “The 2018er Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Kabinett (Golden Capsule) offers a beautiful nose of strawberry puree, fine spices, and herbs on the nose. The wine offers a nice and beautifully playful side on the zesty and mineral palate. It leaves a gorgeously vivid and structured feel in the long and engaging finish. A creamy side comes through in the finish, which adds to the overall immense pleasure to enjoy this beautiful full fruity-styled wine. 2028-2048”
Joh. Jos. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel Mosel 2016 750ML ($129.95) $109 special, 19 bottles in stock now
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 96 points “The 2016 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese (Gold Capsule) is clear, fine and subtle yet concentrated, with vegetal and ripe fruit aromas. Rich, round and piquant, this is an intense and densely woven Auslese (AP 14 17) with a long, tensioned and refreshing mineral finish that lifts the sweet fruit. Gorgeous but made for another decade.”
Stuart Pigott – Jamessuckling 96 points “Super elegant and filigree with a delicacy that you don’t find in many other high-end white wines regardless of grape variety and region of origin. A very long and clean finish. Drink or hold.”
Wine Spectator 95 points “Lush and thick in texture, combining power and grace, with a firm backbone of acidity and mineral details. Stunning on the palate, featuring different nuances that keep emerging with each sip. Slate, apricot jam, flan, honeysuckle and kumquat fruit notes are the most prominent, leading to a long, mineral-laced finish. Drink now through 2040.”
Mosel Fine Wines 94 points “This delivers an absolutely gorgeous and multi-layered nose including pineapple, candied apricot, honeyed exotic fruits, almond paste, tangerine flower and a touch of minty smoke. The wine is superbly smooth and exotic on the palate. The complex and refined delicacy of fruits is simply stunning. The finish is all about honey and creamy exotic fruits, and while not extremely expressive at this time, grows by the minute in the glass. One is left with a great and very subtle sense of almond, passion fruit and tangerine blossom in the after-taste. This will need time to integrate all its components but should then prove a cracker of a wine!”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
JB Becker:
The Rheingau’s Baron of Bone-Dry Riesling
The Rheingau is one of the smallest German wine regions in terms of both size and output, and yet produces some of the best Rieslings in the entire country. We were lucky enough to secure a small lot of JB Becker, one of the areas cult producers of dry Riesling. After apprenticing under a cellarmaster in his youth, Hans-Josef Becker decided to fully transition his family’s operation to Dry and Off-Dry Riesling and hasn’t looked back in 50 years. These are wines made similar in style to Prum in that fermentations are short with long elevage, or tank aging and always done with wild yeasts. Becker’s work captures the essence of Riesling, with emphasis on the rarely seen brawny, smokey and powerful side of the varietal that is unmistakably Rheingau.
In Stock Now & Limited in Availability:
J.B. Becker Wallufer Walkenberg Alte Reben Riesling Kabinett Trocken Rheingau 2015 750ML ($37.95) $28 special, only 17 bottles available
Stephan Reinhardt-Wine Advocate 91 points “The 2015 Rheingau Riesling Wallufer Walkenberg Kabinett Trocken is bright and herbal on the nose. On the palate, this is a classic: lean, straight, mineral and a bit steely but waking the dead up to life. This wine is bone dry, but it has stunningly intense and concentrated apricot fruit. A fascinating Kabinett at 12% alcohol. Highly recommended!”
James Suckling 92 points “This dry Riesling is decptively light when you taste the first sip, but the longer you give it, the more lemon and earth character and the more textural complexity emerges. Super-straight and very pure with a long mineral finish, this is just beginning to give its best and will blossom through 2030.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
J.B. Becker Wallufer Walkenberg Riesling Spatlese Trocken Rheingau 2019 750ML ($39.95) $33 special, only 24 bottles available
James Suckling 94 points “Cool and herbal with a lot of earthy depth, this is a super classic dry riesling that gives you a good idea of how the great Rheingau wines of a century ago tasted. Not only concentrated, but so precisely contoured with great minerality, this is still quite tightly wound. However, the long, crisp mineral finish leaves you in no doubt about the wine’s class. Made from organically grown grapes. Better from 2022.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
J.B. Becker Wallufer Oberberg Riesling Kabinett Halbtrocken Rheingau 2019 750ML ($37.95) $28 special, only 22 bottles available
James Suckling 93 points “Very fresh and floral with white peaches and delicate herbal overtones, this riesling kabinett is almost dry and so crisp. It cries out for smoked salmon or sturgeon, but would also make a great refresher after powerful reds. From organically grown grapes. Drink now.”
“The 2019 Wallufer Oberberg Riesling Kabinett halbtrocken is pure, fresh, clear and floral on the coolish, lean, elegant and even flinty and herbal nose. Bottled with 11.5% alcohol, this is as juicy, fresh and charming but also grippy Kabinett in the off-dry style. Straight character with levity. Tasted from AP 8 19 in April 2020.” –Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
J.B. Becker Eltviller Sonnenberg Riesling Spatlese Rheingau, Germany 750ML 2019 ($45.95) $34.50 special, only 7 bottles available
James Suckling 94 points “Anyone for duck-liver parfait? This rich, almost dry beauty from an excellent vintage for the Rheingau is brimming with white peach and citrus, but also has a lot of finesse. I love the creamy, silky texture on the palate. And,n spite of the sophistication, this is a no-brainer wine. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.”
New Week – New Arrivals
Rosé
Domaines Ott Chateau de Selle Cotes de Provence Coeur de Grain Rose France 2020 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, only 12 bottles in stock now
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 93 points “Pale salmon skin. Mineral-tinged red currant, raspberry, blood orange and white peach scents are complemented by a suave lavender nuance that builds in the glass. Silky and penetrating on the palate, offering concentrated red berry and pit fruit flavors sharpened by a bitter suggestion of orange pith. Finishes very long and smooth, with repeating floral and pit fruit notes.”
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 93 points “Pale and coppery as usual, Ott’s 2020 Cotes de Provence Rose Chateau de Selle boasts restrained aromas of peach, melon and citrus underscored by hints of crushed stone. In the mouth, it’s medium-bodied and concentrated, with ample intensity, a slightly creamy texture and a long, mouthwatering finish. Like the other top rosés of Domaines Ott, this is a wine that is often better in its second year.”
Wine & Spirits 93 points “From the Otts’ original estate in Taradeau, the vines rooted into rocky limestone terraces surrounded by forest, this has an old-school grandeur to it in 2020. Based on grenache, with cinsault, syrah and mourvèdre, it’s rich, smooth and peachy, seasoned with a touch of orange zest and herbs. The fruit’s ripeness is balanced by the crunchiness of the acidity, striking an addictive balance.”
Domaine Les Aphillanthes Cotes du Rhone Nymphea Rose France 2020 750ML ($17.95) $14 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Weygandt-Metzler Import note “Grenache, Cinsault, Mourvedre, Counoise. Biodynamic. Gailloux/Galets Roules over clay & limestone. Tasting note: Red fruit and bright acidity. Full body with a long and balanced finish.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
France – Loire
Alain Robert Vouvray ‘Troglodyte’ Brut Loire NV 750ML ($24.95) $19 special
Importer note “Christiane and Alain Robert founded the domaine in 1973. They are located in Chancay, just east of Vouvray. Their 38 hectares of vineyards, situated around the estate and in the neighboring village of Noizay, are mostly planted with Chenin Blanc, on silex and clay-limestone soil. Chardonnay, Grolleau and Chenin Noir (Pineau d’Aunis) are also cultivated on a few parcels. Their son Cyril, who trained in Champagne, joined them in 2000, followed by his sister Catherine two years later. Catherine brought with her ten years of experience gained in the Loire, including working alongside Jack Blot at Domaine de la Taille aux Loups.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Italy – Sicily
Caruso e Minini Naturalmente Bio Catarratto Sicilia 2019 750ML ($21.95) $18 special
Wine Enthusiast 90 points “Made entirely with organically framed Catarratto grapes, this zesty white opens with aromas of Spanish broom, chamomile and white stone fruit. The savory, linear palate offers juicy Meyer lemon, honeydew and Bartlett pear alongside bright acidity. It closes on an almond note. -Kerin O’Keefe”
Caruso e Minini ‘Terre di Giumara’ Frappato – Nerello Mascalese Terre Siciliane IGT 2019 750ML ($17.95) $14.90 special
Wine Enthusiast 90 points “Made entirely with organically framed Catarratto grapes, this zesty white opens with aromas of Spanish broom, chamomile and white stone fruit. The savory, linear palate offers juicy Meyer lemon, honeydew and Bartlett pear alongside bright acidity. It closes on an almond note. -Kerin O’Keefe”
Caruso e Minini ‘Terre di Giumara’ Frappato – Nerello Mascalese Terre Siciliane IGT 2019 750ML ($17.95) $14.90 special
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Caruso e Minini Naturalmente Bio Nero d’Avola 2019 750ML (21.95) $18 pre-arrival special
Wine Enthusiast 88 points “Made with organic grapes, this has aromas of ripe black-skinned berry, new leather and crushed Mediterranean herb. On the medium-bodied palate, polished tannins accompany ripe Marasca cherry, star anise and a hint of carob. Bright acidity keeps it fresh. Drink through 2022. -Kerin O’Keefe”
Caruso e Minini Naturalmente Bio Perricone Terre Siciliane IGT 2019 750ML ($21.95) $18 pre-arrival special
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Staff Pick: Triton Tinta De Toro
Grant:
Tinta De Toro, or its more recognized name Tempranillo is a wine with fascinating history behind it. Originally planted as early as the 2nd century by the Romans living in the area, it was prized by commoner and royal alike, most notably Queen Isabella. Triton’s offering is a high altitude (2300 ft.) vineyard cuvee composed of 63-121 Year old vines in 5 sites cultivated in sedimentary sand with a base of red clay. These growing factors help create a portrait of stunning terroir, with frankincense, crushed raspberry and blackcurrant preserves immediately leaping out of the glass. Cinnamon, Strawberries, Sultana and Marionberries quickly follow on the first tastes with an underscoring of dusty earth. Medium plus acidity keeps the high tannins from overstaying, and gives this wine great potential for drinking over the course of a week or further bottle age. There is a finish of Medjool date, mocha, Damson plum and Assam tea that resets and refreshes the palate. This is a highly versatile wine in terms of food pairing, bringing to mind tapas, Greek or the classic paella.
Jorge Ordonez Triton Tinta de Toro, Toro 2017 750ML ($21.95) $16.60 special 36+ bottles in stock
Case-12 Jorge Ordonez Triton Tinta de Toro, Toro 2017 750ML ($239.95) $179 special (that’s only $14.91/bottle!)
Jeb Dunnuck 93 points “Made from 100% Tinta de Toro aged a year in used barrels (and some demi-muids), the 2017 Tritón comes from multiple vineyards and is made in decent amounts. It’s a rich, powerful wine loaded with notions of blackcurrants, dark chocolate, licorice, crushed rocks, and crushed violets. It’s full-bodied, has impressive depth of fruit, sweet tannins, and a great finish. It’s a rocking wine that can be drunk today or cellared for 15 years or more.”
Tinta De Toro, or its more recognized name Tempranillo is a wine with fascinating history behind it. Originally planted as early as the 2nd century by the Romans living in the area, it was prized by commoner and royal alike, most notably Queen Isabella. Triton’s offering is a high altitude (2300 ft.) vineyard cuvee composed of 63-121 Year old vines in 5 sites cultivated in sedimentary sand with a base of red clay. These growing factors help create a portrait of stunning terroir, with frankincense, crushed raspberry and blackcurrant preserves immediately leaping out of the glass. Cinnamon, Strawberries, Sultana and Marionberries quickly follow on the first tastes with an underscoring of dusty earth. Medium plus acidity keeps the high tannins from overstaying, and gives this wine great potential for drinking over the course of a week or further bottle age. There is a finish of Medjool date, mocha, Damson plum and Assam tea that resets and refreshes the palate. This is a highly versatile wine in terms of food pairing, bringing to mind tapas, Greek or the classic paella.
Jorge Ordonez Triton Tinta de Toro, Toro 2017 750ML ($21.95) $16.60 special 36+ bottles in stock
Case-12 Jorge Ordonez Triton Tinta de Toro, Toro 2017 750ML ($239.95) $179 special (that’s only $14.91/bottle!)
Jeb Dunnuck 93 points “Made from 100% Tinta de Toro aged a year in used barrels (and some demi-muids), the 2017 Tritón comes from multiple vineyards and is made in decent amounts. It’s a rich, powerful wine loaded with notions of blackcurrants, dark chocolate, licorice, crushed rocks, and crushed violets. It’s full-bodied, has impressive depth of fruit, sweet tannins, and a great finish. It’s a rocking wine that can be drunk today or cellared for 15 years or more.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
Wine on the Horizon: Coming Soon to Vinopolis
Arriving ETA December 2021
La Rioja Alta S.A. Gran Reserva 904 Rioja DOCa 2011 750ML ($69.95) $59 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 96 points “Lovely dried red fruit, such as plums with just a hint of prunes. Cedar, walnut and leather undertones. Full-bodied with lots of fruit, considering its age, as well as hints of smoke, tobacco, bark and black tea. Some balsamic at the finish. Traditionally styled with lovely results. Drink or hold.”
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 94 points “Deep, shimmering garnet. Highly perfumed cherry, blueberry, smoked meat, coconut and floral pastille scents are complemented by a succulent herb nuance that builds as the wine opens up. Juicy and seamless on the palate, offering intense cherry-vanilla, candied rose, cola and mocha flavors sharpened by a late jolt of spiciness. Shows outstanding clarity and penetrating red fruit character on the gently tannic, impressively long, smoky finish, which leaves a repeating floral note behind.”
Neal Martin-Vinous 94 points “The 2011 Rioja Gran Reserva 904 has been one of my go-to cuvées since my earliest days as a wine lover. This latest release is a blend of 60-year-old Tempranillo from Briñas, Rodenzo and Villalba (89%) and the remainder Graciano from the Montecillo vineyard. Fully de-stemmed and aged for 54 months in American oak, it was bottled in November 2016. This is more reticent and less forthcoming on the nose compared to the Viña Ardanza, gradually unfolding to reveal enticing scents of raspberry, crushed strawberry, warm leather, terra cotta and a touch of meat juice. This needed more decanting than the Ardanza. The palate is beautifully balanced with fine-grained tannins, and ultra-smooth in terms of texture. Layers of red fruit laced with clove, sprigs of fresh mint and blood orange dovetail into a soy-tinged finish that you expect to fan out, though it declines; it needs maybe another 12–18 months to really show what it is capable of. Magnificent.”
Wine & Spirits 94 points “Grand and elegant, in the stubbornly traditional mode of Rioja Alta classicism, this wine has enough air between the layers of plump fruit and oak spice to build generous complexity. Its herbal savor and piquillo-pepper notes keep it earthbound, while the wine’s stamina keeps driving the flavors forward. This has the gracious power to sustain it for seriously long aging.”
Arriving ETA January 2022
Muller-Catoir Haardter Burgergarten Muskateller Trocken, Pfalz 2020 750ML ($49.95) $39 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Muller-Catoir Haardter Burgergarten Muskateller Trocken, Pfalz 2020 750ML ($299.95) $222 pre-arrival special (that’s only $37/bottle!)
James Suckling 99 points “Welcome to the most beautiful rose garden there ever was! But, wait a minute, there are also hibiscus, jasmine and all kind of other floral aromas hanging in the air. The concentration and complexity of this totally exceptional dry muscat is off the scale! Breathtaking freshness at the almost endless finish. A dry muscat miracle! Drink or hold.”
Weingut Emrich-Schonleber Monzinger Halenberg Riesling Auslese, Nahe 2020 750ML ($79.95) $66 pre-arrival special
Weingut Emrich-Schonleber Monzinger Halenberg Riesling Auslese, Nahe 2020 375ML ($44.95) $38 pre-arrival special
James Suckling 98 points “Very intense, candied yellow-grapefruit nose. Super-concentrated, but the most important thing about this Auslese is the incredibly tight focus on the palate and the purity of the dried apricot and mango. Super-succulent and vibrant finish that doesn’t want to stop. Drink or hold.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Weingut Emrich-Schonleber Monzinger Halenberg Riesling Spatlese, Nahe 2020 750ML ($49.95) $41.90 pre-arrival special
Case-6 Weingut Emrich-Schonleber Monzinger Halenberg Riesling Spatlese, Nahe 2020 750ML ($299.95) $238 pre-arrival special (that’s only $/bottle!)
James Suckling 98 points “A giant Spätlese that’s packed to the gills with peach and berry fruit, salty minerality and supernaturally vibrant acidity. Such complexity that it’s hard to express in such a string of adjectives. Breathtaking freshness at the finish. Decades of aging potential. Drink or hold.”
This is the only listing in the USA today!
The ABC’s of 2016 Produttori Crus:
Astounding, Beautiful, Collectible
Antonio Gallioni, Vinous “The 2016s, wines from a potentially historic vintage, may very well put Barbaresco on the map big time. As I traveled from producer to producer, I experienced that sense of excitement and energy I always feel when in the presence of important vintages and wines.”
Produttori del Barbaresco is revered for producing classically-styled Barbaresco and Riservas of uncompromising quality and transparency. It’s a miracle that these wines are still affordable and available, especially when comparedto the skyrocketing prices of Barolo. You’d be hard-pressed to find such consistent quality and complexity out of such an extensive range of single-vineyard Nebbiolos anywhere else. Effusive doesn’t begin to cover what the initial reports are saying about this wine, with the majority of critics being absolutely smitten. As usual Produttori has delivered in spades across their portfolio, with the 2016’s drinking incredibly well now with easily a decade of potential growth in the bottle. This is a vintage to grab in at least increments of three; one to drink now, another in 5 years, and the last to cellar long-term. Quantities are extremely limited as usual, so get them while you can!
Produttori del Barbaresco ‘Muncagota’, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2016 750ML ($89.95) $79 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 94+ points “The 2016 Barbaresco Riserva Muncagota continues this tasting of frankly awe-inspiring wines. Rich, deep and super-expressive, the 2016 hits all the right notes. Black cherry, plum, spice, leather, licorice emerge, but only with great reluctance. The Muncagota is another wine in this range that clearly needs time.”
Produttori del Barbaresco Ovello, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2016 750ML ($99.95) $89 special, only 9 bottles in stock now
Produttori del Barbaresco Ovello, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2016 1.5L ($219.95) $189 special, only 4 magnums in stock now
Antonio Galloni 97+ points “The 2016 Barbaresco Riserva Ovello is the most severe and angular of these wines. It will appeal most to die-hard classicists. Chalk, white pepper, mint and sweet red cherry fruit all grace this chiseled, beautifully translucent Barbaresco. As always, the Ovello needs a number of years in bottle to reveal its charms, which in 2016 are many. It is a positively stellar wine in every way.”
Produttori del Barbaresco Pora, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2016 750ML ($89.95) $79 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 95 points “The 2016 Barbaresco Riserva Pora is a brooding wine, its mid-weight structure notwithstanding. Iron, smoke, tobacco, cedar and dried flowers add a feral, earthy quality that is so appealing. Pora is often one of the more approachable Riservas in this range, but the 2016 is an exception. Readers should be prepared to cellar it for at least a few years.”
Produttori del Barbaresco Rio Sordo, Barbaresco Riserva DOCG 2016 750ML ($89.95) $75 special, 36+ Bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2016 Barbaresco Riserva Rio Sordo is a serious, somber wine. Black cherry, plum, lavender, spice and menthol show off the darker side of Nebbiolo to great effect. In most vintages, Rio Sordo is an easygoing wine, but not in 2016. Readers will find a potent, brooding yet mid-weight Barbaresco that screams with character. What a way to start this tasting!”
Shades of Summer:
Oregon Grown Goodness
Cameron Ramato is a consistent staff favorite for its ageability, nuance and consistency year after year. Ramato is a style of rose production native to the Friuli region that utilizes Pinot Grigio grapes and extended skin contact. This is a beautifully layered rose featuring nectarine, meyer lemon curd, and a slight spice on finish and a touch of tannin evocative of peach skin. This is only made in limited quantities and is highly allocated, so stock up now!
Cameron Winery Pinot Gris Ramato Dundee Hills 2020 750ML ($39.95) $29.90 special, 26 bottles in stock now
Winery note “Rame: Italian for copper, ramato: copper-colored. Ramato is a copper-colored Pinot grigio made in the tradition of north-eastern Italy. A very tricky wine to pull off. Very limited production.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
A fabulous blend of Dundee Hills and Costal Range Pinot Noir that combines the best of both growing regions in its generous fruit expression, savory minerality and refreshing acidity. Medium bodied with a long finish and grown without irrigation this is an absolute steal for its price point! Perfect for the porch, pool or party, just add a glass and corkscrew.
Crowley Rose Willamette Valley 2020 750ML ($24.95) $17.70 special, 18 bottles in stock now
Winery note “This wine opens with a bloom of apricot blossoms and crunchy pear aromas. The palate is focused and fresh, layered with stone fruits and mouthwatering salinity. We are astonished and pleased with the complexity this wine reveals – not your everyday rosé!”
VinopolNote: From the Four Winds and Tukwilla Vineyards, this is a top WV rosé every year. The Four Winds fruit is 100% Pommard clone from an own-rooted block dedicated to rosé production, it has a depth, richness, and complexity that will reward all year round. Full malo. Fully delicious.
This is the only listing in the USA today!
Never Enough Napa:
Cabernet for Every Occasion
With dozens of California Cabernet Sauvignons to choose from, we have no shortage of incredible options from the Golden State. Napa Valley continues to produce some of the world’s finest examples of the world’s most beloved grape. We’re thrilled to highlight some of our standout bottles today, including our remaining half bottles of Ridge’s iconic 2017 Monte Bello.
In Stock Now:
A true Bordeaux soul
Snowden Vineyards The Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2017 750ML ($54.95) $41.90 special, 36+ bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 90 points “The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon The Ranch is an attractive, mid-weight wine that shows the more gracious, understated side of the year. Floral and spice notes give the 2017 lovely aromatics to play off a core of sweet red berry fruit. This is a very pretty wine.”
This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast today!
A legend in the making
Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello, Santa Cruz Mountains 2017 375ML ($149.95) $119 special, 8 half-bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 100 points “Pure perfection, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Bello is a sensational effort from this estate that should be snatched up by drinkers and collectors. Based on 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc that was brought up mostly in new American oak, this saturated purple-hued beauty is legendary Monte Bello in the making and has a stunning yet primordial bouquet of crème de cassis, lead pencil shavings, graphite, chocolate, and chalky minerality. Full-bodied, incredibly powerful, and one of the most concentrated versions of this cuvée ever made (I’ve had most of them), it needs a solid decade of bottle age and will have 50-60 years of overall longevity. Despite the long drinking window, it offers plenty of pleasure even today. I followed this bottle for two days and it showed best right out of the gate, closing down and becoming more brooding and backward with air. It’s an incredible wine that I promise you won’t regret having in your cellar.”
An excellent choice for the cellar.
Philip Togni Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2016 750ML ($159.95) $125 special, 15 bottles in stock now
Antonio Galloni 96 points “A regal wine, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate has really shut down following its recent bottling, which is probably a very good thing for its long-term prospects, although it does make the wine harder to read. Today, the 2016 is dark, powerful and quite savory, with tremendous persistence and class to burn. Translucent, deep and exquisitely layered, the 2016 has a lot to offer. Dark red cherry, plum, wild herb, cedar, tobacco and smoke build as the 2016 starts to open up in the glass. This is a jewel of a wine from the Togni family.”
Wine Advocate 96+ points “Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate reveals a wonderfully spicy nose of cinnamon stick, cloves, fenugreek and cumin seed over a core of cassis, kirsch, black raspberries and spearmint with nuances of lavender and forest floor. Medium-bodied, the palate is laden with energetic red and black berry flavors, framed by ripe, finely grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing long and perfumed.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average listed price is $150
The average listed price is $150
One of the original Napa ‘cult’ producers, and a must-try for true Napa fans
Diamond Creek Gravelly Meadow Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2018 750ML ($279.95) $249 special, 20 bottles in stock now
Lisa Perrotti-Brown – Wine Advocate 97 points “The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Gravelly Meadow is a blend of 78.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8.4% Merlot, 8% Malbec and 5.1% Petit Verdot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it slips effortlessly from the glass, singing of ripe black cherries, black raspberries and cassis, plus hints of red currants, roses, cinnamon stick and garrigue. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers lovely freshness, offering bags of perfumed black fruits in the mouth, beautifully supported by fine-grained tannins, finishing long with lots of soft-spoken floral and mineral whispers. This perfumed beauty wears the 2018 vintage stamp well, presenting a more delicate expression of this vineyard—one that I love! 647 cases were made.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
The average listed price is $283
The average listed price is $283
From the same house as Dominus, at a fraction of the cost.
Ulysses Vineyard, Napa Valley 2017 750ML ($179.95) $149 special, only 4 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 96 points “Extremely aromatic with crushed berries, currants, flowers and hints of uncured tobacco leaf. Carnations. Medium to full body and extremely fine tannins that are firm and polished. Vertical tannins draw you down. Some blanched-walnut character to the blue fruit. Fresh and clean at the finish… So beautiful to drink now.”
Winemaker’s Notes “With black tea leaf and brioche, Ulysses 2017 delivers dense layers of deep cherry, balsamic, peat, forest berries and fresh walnut, woven through a finely grained texture, and a lingering warm cacao powder finish.”
Love California wine? We have over 75 different options from the Golden State in stock. Shop the entire selection, including staff favorites like Arnot-Roberts, Bucklin , Pax and more,
on our web store now.
on our web store now.
The Height of Tuscan Fashion
Did you know the fashion house Cavalli also has a wine in their family of products? After the initial success of his fashion brand in the 1970’s, Roberto Cavalli purchased the estate to serve as a personal oasis for him and his beloved German Shepard; Degli Dei who later became the estate’s namesake.
Now run by Roberto’s son Tommaso, operations have expanded into another property in Florence, to further diversify the wine portfolio with a different set of soil types and growing condition. We’re pleased to offer their Toscana IGT, a Bordeaux blend made from both properties. Combining the aromatics and tannin structure of their Florence estate with the richness and minerality of Degli Dei, you have to taste it to fully see how this is a match made in heaven!
Arriving ETA August:
Cavalli Tenuta degli Dei Toscana IGT Tuscany 2016 750ML ($59.95) $46 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Cavalli Tenuta degli Dei Toscana IGT Tuscany 2016 750ML ($719) $499 pre-arrival special (that’s only $41.58/bottle!)
Case-6 Cavalli Tenuta degli Dei Toscana IGT Tuscany 2016 750ML ($359) $259 pre-arrival special (that’s only $43.17/bottle!)
James Suckling 97 points “What an amazing nose with pure herbs coming to the fore, soon to be joined by fresh brambleberries, blueberries, violets, heather, lavender, pine needles and forest floor. Full body, chewy but incredibly fine tannins, and tons of floral undertones. Elegant and resoundingly beautiful. Delicious now, but better in 2023.”
96 Points Antonio Galloni-Vinous “The 2016 Tenuta Degli Dei is gorgeous. Power, structure and finesse come together in a wine that impresses for its superb balance and sheer class. Medium in body, but with tremendous fruit density and persistence, the 2016 has so much to offer. Sweet floral notes develop on the finish, adding perfume, lift and sensuality. I would cellar it for at least a few years to allow its full aromatic presence to emerge.”
Now run by Roberto’s son Tommaso, operations have expanded into another property in Florence, to further diversify the wine portfolio with a different set of soil types and growing condition. We’re pleased to offer their Toscana IGT, a Bordeaux blend made from both properties. Combining the aromatics and tannin structure of their Florence estate with the richness and minerality of Degli Dei, you have to taste it to fully see how this is a match made in heaven!
Arriving ETA August:
Cavalli Tenuta degli Dei Toscana IGT Tuscany 2016 750ML ($59.95) $46 pre-arrival special
Case-12 Cavalli Tenuta degli Dei Toscana IGT Tuscany 2016 750ML ($719) $499 pre-arrival special (that’s only $41.58/bottle!)
Case-6 Cavalli Tenuta degli Dei Toscana IGT Tuscany 2016 750ML ($359) $259 pre-arrival special (that’s only $43.17/bottle!)
James Suckling 97 points “What an amazing nose with pure herbs coming to the fore, soon to be joined by fresh brambleberries, blueberries, violets, heather, lavender, pine needles and forest floor. Full body, chewy but incredibly fine tannins, and tons of floral undertones. Elegant and resoundingly beautiful. Delicious now, but better in 2023.”
96 Points Antonio Galloni-Vinous “The 2016 Tenuta Degli Dei is gorgeous. Power, structure and finesse come together in a wine that impresses for its superb balance and sheer class. Medium in body, but with tremendous fruit density and persistence, the 2016 has so much to offer. Sweet floral notes develop on the finish, adding perfume, lift and sensuality. I would cellar it for at least a few years to allow its full aromatic presence to emerge.”
This is the lowest listed price in the USA today!
Vinopolis is an independent wine shop in Portland that opened in 2004. Our goal has always been to offer the finest, broadest, and largest selection of wines at the best prices to our customers in Portland, in Oregon, across the West Coast, and throughout the United States.
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